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Reference

Cost reference

Every cost figure we have recorded, each with the measurement basis it was quoted on. Figures without a stated basis are not comparable — a price per kilogram of protein and a price per kilogram of finished product can differ by an order of magnitude while looking identical on a slide.

Figures
8
Distinct bases
8
Lowest
€0.2
Highest
$27,600
SubjectCostBasisTypeYearReported in
Food-grade protein-free cell culture growth media€0.2/Lmedia purchase cost per litre, approaching thresholdreported2026Four cost figures for the same cultivated duck, and …
Value of a lost fermentation batch, vendor model€1/Lvalue of lost culture per litre (€1,000 per m³), modelled as titre × downstream recovery × product price, averaged across two scenariosmodelled2026Tetra Pak's 12% bioreactor saving is mostly three fe…
Gourmey/Parima cultivated duck, modelled 5,000-litre commercial setup€7/kgfinished product containing approximately 50% cultivated cells, remainder plant-based ingredients; modelled, not measuredmodelled2025Four cost figures for the same cultivated duck, and …
Precision-fermented alpha-lactalbumin, modelled unit cost at food-grade purity$24/kgpurified protein at food-grade purity (~95% ±10%), 20 g/L titre at harvestmodelled2025China's cheap-capacity claim rests on a vendor rule …
Cultivated meat finished product, industry-representative€40/kgfinished product, illustrative industry-representative basis (stated as 'low EUR40s/kg')modelled2026Four cost figures for the same cultivated duck, and …
Whey powder, EU average€1,430/tfinished whey powder, EU weighted average, week ending 7 June 2026reported2026Eight of the last ten US HMO clearances went to Chin…
FeedKind microbial protein, ceiling price achievable in aquaculture per Calysta CEO$2,000/tdried FeedKind product as sold, 68% crude protein on the current company specdisclosed2025Gas fermentation's only industrial-scale plant makes…
Whey protein concentrate 80%, US spot$27,600/tfinished WPC 80% powder, mostly price range midpoint, week of 10-14 August 2026reported2026Eight of the last ten US HMO clearances went to Chin…

Modelled figures come from published techno-economic analyses. Disclosed figures were stated by the producing company. Reportedfigures come from third-party reporting. They are not interchangeable, and we do not average across them.